14 birdsandblooms.com SEPTEMBER EXTRA 2020
5 YumenoMurasaki
TYPE:LILYFLOWERED;
BLOOMTIME:MID-TO-LATESPRING
Lily-floweredtulipsgrowwithsharply
pointedpetalssimilartothestyle
favoredintheOttomanEmpire,adding
aneleganttouch.Evenwhenclosed,the
vase-shapedbudslookexotic.
Whyweloveit:Therichpurpleflair
ofYumenoMurasakiopenstoshowa
whitebase,especiallyonsunnydays.6 Artist
TYPE: VIRIDIFLORA; BLOOM TIME: LATE SPRING
Viridifloras—from the Latin words for green and
flower—boast vivid green stripes along the centers of
their petals and rank among the longest-lasting tulips,
blooming up to three weeks.
Why we love it: The unusual coloration of Artist,
one of the first viridiflora tulips, shows ingenious
elegance during the life of the bloom, transforming
from bright orange with green and purple markings
to peach, olive and lavender.5
5, 8, 10: COLORBLENDS.COM; 6, 7: LONGFIELD-GARDENS.COM; 9: PHOTO BY ‘BRENT AND BECKY’S’8
8 BanjaLuka
TYPE:DARWINHYBRID;
BLOOMTIME:MIDSPRING
Darwinhybridtulips
arebig,boldandbrassy.
IntroducedintheU.S.in
the1950s,theyareacross
betweensinglelatetulips
andearlyfosteriana
tulips,withlarge,sturdy
flowers that rebloom
several years after their
first big burst.
Why we love it:
Banja Lukas shine
with gold petals streaked
with orange-crimson.
Plant them with solid
purple tulips to pair
in a vase.7 ExoticEmperor
TYPE:FOSTERIANA;
BLOOMTIME:EARLYSPRING
Fosterianas,alsocalled
emperortulips,are
descendantsofwildtulips
fromCentralAsia.Some
ofthattenacityremains
intheseearly-spring
favoritesthatreliably
return year after year.
Why we love it:
Exotic Emperor, with
its elegant semi-double
creamy blooms, becomes
paler over time, enhanced
by licks of yellow and
green on its exterior
petals. Bonus: Exotic
Emperor does well in pots.7
6
TOP 10
TULIP TIP Some hybrids, especially triumph tulips (the largest single group), are
specifically bred to put all their energy into the first year. For reblooming, try species,
Darwin hybrids, single late or fosteriana tulips, and consider the others annuals.